President's Page

Sister Carol Keehan, DC, is the ninth president and chief executive officer of the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA). She assumed her duties as of Oct. 10, 2005. She is responsible for all association operations, both at its St. Louis and Washington, D.C., offices.

This area of CHA website provides information about Sr. Carol and the Office of the President.

You are invited to check back often and e-mail your comments and/or questions to Sr. Carol Keehan, DC, at CHA.

Information

• Background
  • Sr. Carol Keehan's Biographical Sketch (.pdf)
  • Sr. Carol Keehan Photo (Download hi-res image in black & white or four-color)
• Comments and Articles
  • "Faith in Healing," an article in the Spring 2009 issue of St. Thomas, a publication of the University of St Thomas, Minnesota. Trustee Profile: Sister Carol Keehan plays a significant role in health care reform, with particular concern for those most desperately in need of care.
  • Sister Carol Keehan commentary on health care reform in the March 30, 2009, issue of Modern Healthcare. Read "Time to collaborate; President’s call requires willingness of all to compromise."
  • Sister Carol Keehan, DC participated in the White House Forum on Health Reform on March 5. Read Sister Carol's comments on the forum.
  • Sister Carol Keehan writes in the lead article of the special health reform section of the January-February 2009 Health Progress ("Yes! The Time is Now,"), we find ourselves in a promising moment. A fast-growing number of Americans, political leaders and advocacy groups agree: The need to reform the U.S. health care system is urgent.
• Presentations and Testimony
  • "Health Care in America: Who Do We Really Care About?" A speech to The Dominican Friars Health Care Ministry of New York of Saint Catherine of Siena Church and Priory, Third Annual Lecture in Catholic Health Care Ethics, Oct. 20, 2008 (prepared remarks .pdf)
  • Speech to The City Club of Cleveland, "Health Care Reform That's Worthy of the American People," May 16, 2008 (prepared remarks .pdf)
    • Podcast of The City Club of Cleveland speech, Length: (58:51)
  • Written testimony of Sr. Carol Keehan presented to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, "Taking the Pulse of Charitable Care and Community Benefits at Nonprofit Hospitals," hearing on Sept. 13, 2006 (.pdf)
    • Streaming video of Sr. Carol Keehan's hearing testimony (250k) Length: (6:16)
  • Sr. Carol Keehan met with Sen. Charles Grassley, chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, on Sept. 7, 2006, to discuss CHA's community benefit guidelines and the broad adoption of them by CHA's membership.
    • Streaming video of Sr. Carol presenting CHA's Guide for Planning and Reporting Community Benefit (100k | 250k) Length: (:47)
  • Prepared Remarks for Campaign for Children's Health Care Launch , Washington, DC, July 11, 2006
  • Remarks from the Leadership Luncheon, 91st Catholic Health Assembly, Orlando, FL 
  • "Improving Access Can be a Collaboration of the Catholic Health Ministry and the Catholic Media," Address to the Catholic Media Convocation, May 24, 2006
  • Transition doesn't dim focus on strategic directions, Membership Assembly Meeting, Catholic Health Assembly, June 7, 2005
  • Testimony before The Committee on Ways and Means hearing on "The Tax-Exempt Hospital Sector," May 26, 2005  (.pdf)
  • Promoting Life and Dignity at Home, Address to the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering, Feb. 21, 2005, Washington, DC

News and Background Resources

• In the News
  • U.S. Catholic Managing Editor Bryan Cones interviewed Sister Carol Keehan, D.C., president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association, about the latest developments in the push for health care reform. The full interview will appear in the May issue. (Recorded Feb. 26, 2010)
  • The Catholic Common Ground Initiative presented its annual Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Award June 26 to Sister Carol Keehan, Catholic News Service, June 29, 2009. Watch video of the presentation.
  • Sr. Carol Keehan received the Msgr. George G. Higgins Labor Advocacy Award, Catholic Standard, Sept. 10, 2008
  • Sister Carol Keehan Named Most Powerful Person in U.S. Healthcare, Moore School of Business Alumni News, September 2007
  • Sr. Carol Keehan named #1 Most Powerful Person in Healthcare for 2007 by readers of Modern Healthcare
    • Modern Healthcare press release, Aug. 27, 2007
    • 2007's 100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare website
  • The Catholic Role in Health Care, St. Anthony Messenger, June 2007
  • Sr. Carol Keehan named CHA President and Chief Executive Officer
    • AHA News, Sept. 19, 2005
    • Catholic Health World, Sept. 15, 2005
    • American Hospital Association, Sept. 7, 2005
    • St. Louis Business Journal Online, Sept. 7, 2005
    • Washington Business Journal Online, Sept. 7, 2005
• Additional Background
  • News Release Announcing Sr. Carol Keehan as CHA President
  • Position Specification for CHA President and Chief Executive Officer (2005) (.pdf)
  • CHA President Search Committee Members
  • Previous CHA Chief Executives

Former Presidents